160 orchid-grower's manual. 



evergreen Orchid from India. The stems are erect, a foot or 

 more high, and produce their beautiful pendent spikes of rich 

 yellow flowers from their sides near the top ; it blooms in 

 March, April, or May, and lasts from four to six days in per- 

 fection, if kept in a cool-house. This is one of the showiest 

 Orchids in cultivation, and one of the choicest plants we 

 have for exhibition on account of its colour. It should be 

 potted in peat. I have seen this with nearly one hundred 

 flower-spikes on it at one time, in the collection of J. Day, 

 Esq., Tottenham, under the care of Mr. Stone. 



D. densifiorum album. — An Indian kind, distinct from the 

 former, and called Schroder's variety ; it grows to the same 

 height as D. densijiorum, and has foliage of the same colour ; 

 flowers pink and white ; lip yellow ; blossoms in April and 

 May, and continues about ten days in perfection. It grows 

 best in a pot in peat. This is one of the finest of the genus. 

 There are several varieties of D. densifiorum album sold, but 

 none are equal to "Schroder's variety" — sometimes called 

 D. Schroderi ; and when the plant is known, it can be distin- 

 guished from any other by its stems. 



D. Devoniamim. — This is one of the finest of the genus ; it 

 is a deciduous and pendulous-growing species. The flowers 

 are produced from the nodes, for fully three parts of the 

 entii'e length of the stem, which sometimes attains the extent 

 of four feet ; they are two inches across ; the sepals cream- 

 coloured, shaded with pinkish purple ; the petals are broader 

 than the sepals, and are pink, with a deep purple stain ; the 

 lip is broadly heart-shaped, white, rich purple on the edges, 

 ^dth two spots of rich orange on the column, and the entire 

 margin is most beautifully frilled. It blooms in May or June, 

 lasts two weeks in perfection, and is best grown in a basket 

 with moss. This plant is usually found difficult to cultivate ; 

 but the great secret is to give it plenty of water when growing. 



